Non-fiction: Take Care of Our Planet

Take Care of Our Planet

Keep Earth Clean
You can help solve the trash problem.
Our trash is piling up. Each American throws away an average of about 4
pounds every day. That adds up to more than 1,600 pounds of trash per
person every year!
The trash includes bottles, cans, boxes, paper, tires, and much more. Much
of it ends up in landfills. Those are places where people dump trash.
April 22 is Earth Day. The day reminds people to take care of The Earth.
People can help by following the three Rsreduce, reuse, and recycle.

Britt Erianson/Getty Images

Many types of plastics can be
recycled.

Reduce
You can reduce the amount of trash you throw away. Reduce means to
make less. Here are some ways to make less trash:
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Weekly Reader is a registered trademark of Weekly Reader Corporation.
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Non-fiction: Take Care of Our Planet

FoodPix/Jupiter Images
Use less paper by writing on both sides of each sheet.
Instead of throwing out old toys or clothes, sell or donate them.
If you buy something, dont ask for a paper or plastic bag. Instead
bring your own cloth bag.

Recycle
You can recycle. When something is recycled, it is made into something
new. Here are some items that can be taken to a recycling center.

Image Source/Getty Images

cardboard
aluminum cans
paper
certain plastics
glass bottles
newspaper
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2012 ReadWorks , Inc. All rights reserved.

Article: Copyright 2009 Weekly Reader Corporation. All rights reserved.
Weekly Reader is a registered trademark of Weekly Reader Corporation.
Used by permission.

Non-fiction: Take Care of Our Planet

Reuse
You can try to reuse things before you throw them in the trash. Reuse
means to use again. Here are some examples:

Alistair Berg/Getty Images

Use an old T-shirt as a dust cloth.
After opening a gift, save the wrapping paper and use it again.
Make an art project using odds and ends such as string, bottle caps,
and scraps of paper.

2012 ReadWorks , Inc. All rights reserved.

Article: Copyright 2009 Weekly Reader Corporation. All rights reserved.
Weekly Reader is a registered trademark of Weekly Reader Corporation.
Used by permission.

Questions: Take Care of Our Planet

Name: ____________________________

Date: ________________

Directions: Answer the following four questions based on the information

in the passage.
1. Describe what the problem is in this article.
________________________________________________________
____________________________________
________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________
____________________________________
________________________________________________________
2. What do the three Rs stand for, and how do they help people solve
the trash problem?
________________________________________________________
____________________________________
________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________
____________________________________
________________________________________________________
3. The little girl stopped her mother from throwing away string, bottle
caps, and paper because she wanted to use them. Based on the
article, what might the girl want those items for?
________________________________________________________
____________________________________
________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________
____________________________________
________________________________________________________
4. What is this passage mostly about?
________________________________________________________
____________________________________
________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________
____________________________________
________________________________________________________
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2012 ReadWorks, Inc. All rights reserved.

Questions: Take Care of Our Planet

Directions: Please read the sentence below and then write the word or
phrase that best answers the questions. The first answer has been provided
for you.
Every year, each American increases the trash problem by throwing away
more than 1,600 pounds of trash.
Who? each American
5. (does) What?
________________________________________________________
____________________________________
________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________
____________________________________
________________________________________________________
6. When?
________________________________________________________
____________________________________
________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________
____________________________________
________________________________________________________
7. How?
________________________________________________________
____________________________________
________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________
____________________________________
________________________________________________________

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Questions: Take Care of Our Planet

8. The question below is an incomplete sentence. Choose the word that

best completes the sentence.
Earth Day happens once a year, _______ you can follow the three Rs
every day.
A but
B because
C so
Directions: Read the vocabulary word and definition below. Then answer
questions 9 and 10.
Vocabulary Word: recycle (re cy cle): to remake something into
something new.
9. Read the sentences below and underline all forms of the word recycle.
a. The community center held a recycling drive, where people were asked
to bring in plastic, glass, and paper in order to make new things for
the community.
b. When people recycle plastic bottles, new plastic items can be created.
c. After reading the newspaper, the family recycled it so that it would be
made into new paper.
d. During the school year, students are able to recycle plastic bottles
from lunch so that the bottles can be made into new book bags.
e. Recycling glass, plastic, and paper into something new helps to protect
the planet.
10. Which container should you use to get rid of a plastic bottle?

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2012 ReadWorks, Inc. All rights reserved.

Teacher Guide and Answer Key: Take Care of Our Planet

Teacher Guide and Answer Key

Passage Reading Level: Lexile 640
Featured Text Structure: Problem/Solution the writer poses a problem and suggests
possible solutions
Passage Summary: The passage is focused on the trash problem and suggests three
different solutions to it. People can reduce, recycle, and reuse much of their trash
instead of throwing it away.
To the Teacher: Read the passage aloud to the class [TIP: while reading aloud, show
the passage on a whiteboard or give each student a copy of the passage so they can
follow along].
Then, use the text-dependent questions 1-8 to facilitate a whole class discussion to
ensure students comprehend the key details from the passage.
Finally, use questions 9-10 to deep teach one important vocabulary word [TIP: you can
use the model provided for teaching additional vocabulary].

1. Describe what the problem is in this article. [Important Detail]

Suggested answer: The problem discussed in this article is the trash problem.
Our trash is piling up and ending up in landfills. [paragraphs 1, 2]
2. What do the three Rs stand for, and how do they help people solve the trash
problem? [Important Detail]
Suggested answer: The three Rs stand for reduce, reuse, and recycle. You can
reduce the amount of trash that you throw away, recycle used things instead of
throwing them away, and reuse things before trashing them.
[paragraphs 3, 4, 5, 6]
3. The little girl stopped her mother from throwing away string, bottle caps, and
paper because she wanted to use them. Based on the article, what might the girl
want those items for? [Important Detail/Inferential]
Suggested answer: Some items that you can reuse include: an old t-shirt as a
dust cloth, old wrapping paper for new gifts, and odds and ends (string, bottle
caps, paper, etc.) to make an art project. The girl probably wanted to make a
special project using those items (maybe a puppet). [bulleted list on page 3]
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Teacher Guide and Answer Key: Take Care of Our Planet

4. What is this passage mostly about? [Main Idea]

Suggested answer: The article is focused on the trash problem and three
solutions to it.
Directions: Please read the sentence below and then write the word or phrase that best
answers the questions. The first answer has been provided for you.
Every year, each American increases the trash problem by throwing away more than
1,600 pounds of trash.
Who? each American
5. (does) What? increases the trash problem
6. When? every year
7. How? by throwing away more than 1,600 pounds of trash
8. The question below is an incomplete sentence. Choose the word that best
completes the sentence.
Earth Day happens once a year, _______ you can follow the three Rs every day.
A but
B because
C so
To the Teacher: ReadWorks recommends that you teach this vocabulary word to the
whole class out loud using the four steps listed below.
Vocabulary Word: recycle (re cy cle): to remake something into something new.
Step 1: Introduce the word
a. Teacher writes the word on the board and divides it into syllables: (re cy cle)
b. Teacher says: This word is recycle. What is the word? [All students reply
together out loud: Recycle.]
Step 2: Provide a child-friendly definition
a. Teacher says: Recycle means to remake something into something new.
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Teacher Guide and Answer Key: Take Care of Our Planet

b. Teacher says: The word recycle is used when talking about something that is
made into something new. In this passage, the author discusses how recycling is a
solution to the trash problem.
c. Teacher says: What is the word? [All students reply together out loud:
Recycle.]
Step 3: Practice the word
Teacher provides examples and additional opportunities to repeat the word. Read the
first sentence out loud to your students. Begin reading it again and when you come to
the vocabulary word prompt students to say the vocabulary word out loud. Then, finish
reading the sentence out loud to your students.
Directions: Read the vocabulary word and definition below. Then answer questions 9
and 10.
Vocabulary Word: recycle (re cy cle): to remake something into something new.
9. Read the sentences below and underline all forms of the word recycle.
a. The community center held a recycling drive, where people were asked to bring in
plastic, glass, and paper in order to make new things for the community.
b. When people recycle plastic bottles, new plastic items can be created.
c. After reading the newspaper, the family recycled it so that it would be made into
new paper.
d. During the school year, students are able to recycle plastic bottles from lunch so
that the bottles can be made into new book bags.
e. Recycling glass, plastic, and paper into something new helps to protect the planet.
Step 4: Check for student understanding
To the Teacher: This step can be completed as a whole class activity or as an
independent practice.
10. Which container should you use to get rid of a plastic bottle?

Suggested Additional Vocabulary: landfill, reduce, reuse

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2012 ReadWorks, Inc. All rights reserved.